I first bought some cheap soft pastels back in 2018 and did a couple of sketches. I bought a nice set of Rembrandt pastels a few months later — didn't use them. I bought some pastel pads, none if which seemed right. September 2020, I bought a couple more sets of bargain pastels and tried a couple of pieces — no good, still couldn't bring myself to use them. Jess bought me pastel pencils for Christmas — I was too scared to use them. I even bought a pad of Pastelmat which is supposed to be THE paper to use for pastel paintings in January. I was too scared to use that as well!
FINALLY, after a few unsuccessful attempts at working with watercolour (brush issues), I cast aside my fear and thought I'd mess around with pastels. Some time later, and this was the result. I've finally broken through my pastel fear-barrier.
I've got to say, I love soft pastels and I'm excited about doing more pieces in this medium.
At the top of Pentregwenlais near Llandybie is Gwenlais Quarry. In itself, the quarry is quite beautiful with its sheer rock faces and the way that nature has started to reclaim it. This scene is one of the paths that leads down from the top of the quarry back towards Pentregwenlais. I was going to do it as a pen & wash but by the time I'd finished with the watercolour I thought it was too complex to start putting ink in there. Watercolours on watercolour paper (6x8")
Gwenffrwd-Dinas is an RSPB nature reserve out in the wilds of mid-Wales. You could easily miss it driving past, but if you do park up, you're treated to some gorgeous scenery. Here the river Tywi (the longest in Wales) flows past the wooded riverbank then through a rocky gorge on its way down to Carmarthen. Pen and watercolour on watercolour paper (6x8").
In 2017, I had a short run of finishing acrylic paintings after not painting for many years. Here I was pushing towards a more realistic style despite the very cheap and thin paints.
(HB pencil on 120mm x 100mm paper) A dreamscape piece (automatic drawing) which seems to have an almost planetary feel to it with the glowing orb and the line of spheres which developed.
This little illustration was motivated by recent changes I have experienced at work. We've been asked not to eat lunch together- even when socially distanced, due to recent outbreak of Covid 19 in our area. This captures the feel of isolation at work for me. Hope you like it!
Inktober 2020, Day 24: "Dig". Just a front-end loader based on a photo on Wikimedia commons. I have to say this one brought weird flashbacks from very early childhood. I haven’t really been drawing construction machines since I was a 5 or something like that :D Brushpens and posca on brown A4
Inktober, day 2: "Wisp". Brush pens and posca markers on coloured A4. This is inspired by the wisps in Ultima rpgs that I used to play as a wee bairn. That’s where I learned the word "wisp". In fact, it’s pretty much the only association I still have. ;)
"Helios" is a world of infernal heat and these towers are the only protection the inhabitants have against the unforgiving environment outside. -- Oils on canvas with a knife.
I'm on a quest to stay positive despite current events and crazy unrest. To this end I'm meditating and seeking out positive influences every day for a week and capturing what I find in my sketchbook.
Sorry I haven’t been around to post much. I’m always really busy during the summer months. I decided to buy a set of oil paints and experiment with them. When my set arrived, it was missing a blue paint so i had to improvise on this one. The painting is still wet so there is some glare in the image. I feel like it looks good, but I am definitely lacking the skill and technique in oil paints. That is why this painting is super simple and easy subject matter. Hopefully, I can start to get a feel for the oils :)
I was bored out of my mind so I just quickly painted this. I am in fact starting my big project. Its on a wood board that I plan to hang if it all turns out!
